First, remove from your mind the idea that these creatures are very low maintenance. It’s not that they require a huge amount of your time, but they do require weekly bathing, new food every few days, new water every day, heat, and a regularly cleaned environment.

Habitat:

A hermit crab will be very comfortable in a 10-gallon or bigger aquarium with a few inches of sand or stones at the bottom. Two shallow dishes of water are required – one for salt water and one for dechlorinated fresh water. You can buy additives at pet stores in preparing each water dish. Sponges sitting in the dishes work very well to help add humidity to the habitat.

You’ll also need a thermometer and humidity gauge. The tank needs to be between 72 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit. You can use either an under-tank heater, or low wattage lighting to provide heat. The humidity must also be between 70 and 80 percent to keep your hermit crabs healthy.
It helps to have a lid on your tank to keep in moisture, and to keep in your crabs. They can be quite the climbers!

Food:

Commercial hermit crab food can be purchased at any pet stores that sell the animal. Supplement their daily food regiment with assorted fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain breads, or small pieces of fish and meat. You can also offer some pieces of cuttlebone or boiled egg shells for calcium.

You will need to clean food dishes daily and remove any uneaten bits of food from the tank. Also rinse and refill water dishes daily.

Shells:

Be sure to provide plenty of empty shells in a variety of sizes. Make sure to also have a variety of shells in different shapes and styles, and with various opening sizes. You never know what type of shell a hermit crab may like, and if a good selection is not provided, crabs can fight over the best ones!

Bathing:

Hermit crabs need to be bathed once per week to stay healthy. (This is also a good time to clean the rest of the habitat) Fill a bowl about one inch deep with lukewarm tap water. Very slowly place the hermit crab feet first into the water. Often, the hermit crab will seek shelter inside its shell during this process. As the crab emerges, the water will go into his shell and rinse it clear of any debris. After a few minutes of walking around, take the hermit crab out and place it into his newly clean tank. (This may also be a good time for a treat of fresh carrots or any other type of treat)

Cleaning the habitat:

About once per month, do a thorough cleaning with hot water. Avoid detergents and chemicals as these can be harmful to your pets. Sand can be washed and boiled or baked to sterilize it for re-use, if desired.

Hermit Crabs are very friendly and fun pets. While they do require a good deal of care to keep them healthy, they are very rewarding pets and can be quite the stress reliever. As with any pet, research should be done before you make the decision to adopt it.

This article has been submitted in affiliation with PetLovers.Com/ PetLovers.Com/ which is a site for PetLovers.Com/ Pet Forums.

Tonia Jordan is a freelance Journalist and a writer on writing.com Writing.com which is a site for Writers.

Related posts

• What Do You Know About Fish Tank Care? (0)
• Tropical Fish Saltwater Setup - Tank Maintenance and Aquatic Life Care (0)
• Tropical Fish Disease (0)
• The Proper Care of Aquarium Sponge Media (0)
• The Optimum Cichlid Aquarium Set Up (0)

Tags: aquarium, tap water

So you want to keep discus fish or are already keeping discus fish. One of things you must do is keep your discus fish healthy and disease free. In this article I’m going to give you a few tips on how to keep discus fish disease free as:

One of the most common assumptions with discus is that they easily get disease and die. This is not true. They will only get disease if you mistreat them.

The root of the problem is stress, if you cause discus stress there immune system will lower and make them venerable to disease. It is important to keep stress to a minimum so below I have made you a check list of things to do.

• Make sure all water is free from chlorine and heavy metals. It is important that you invest in either an RO unit, water purifier or use a good quality tap water condition.

• Give your discus a good varied diet including frozen bloodworm and slow sinking granules.

• Don’t place your discus aquarium near a door and all the movement will cause them stress.

• If you are keeping young discus, keep in groups of no less than six. Discus are a shoaling fish.

• Make sure there are no large changes in pH, hardness or temperature when changing water.

Above are just a few things that you can do to make sure your discus fish live a happy life and remain healthy. Remember discus are not hard to keep, they just require regular water changes and a good varied diet like most other fish. For more details on discus-fish-secrets.com discus fish please check out my discus-fish-secrets.com website below.

Rob owns Discus Fish Secrets website helping beginners and advanced fish keepers with discus problems including keeping and breeding them. Please visit the site for more information on discus-fish-secrets.com www.discus-fish-secrets.com.

Related posts

• What Do You Know About Fish Tank Care? (0)
• Tropical Fish Saltwater Setup - Tank Maintenance and Aquatic Life Care (0)
• Tropical Fish Disease (0)
• The Proper Care of Aquarium Sponge Media (0)
• The Optimum Cichlid Aquarium Set Up (0)

Tags: aquarium, tap water

Fall through December is the prime season for leptospirosis,
a disease spread by wild and domestic animals. This disease can
attack a dog’s kidneys, liver or blood vessels with serious and
even fatal consequences.

The problem is that this is the rainy season and rains wash the
spiral-shaped leptospires into ponds and other bodies of water while
the water temperature encourages the bacteria to survive.

Dogs can contact the disease directly from other animals or by contact
with soil or water containing the bacteria thanks to contaminated urine
or poop, Louise Louis of www.ToyBreeds.com stated.

Getting outdoors with your dog can be a great experience but it exposes
your dog to this bacterial disease. “Outdoors” especially includes dog parks
which I hate. Many owners do not have their dogs vaccinated and many, many
owners are irresponsible about picking up dog poop.

Contacting the disease isn’t necessarily fatal. Common symptoms include fever,
loss of appetites, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration and reddening of
the eye area. Some dogs manage to clear the infection through their systems
with minimal problems.

Other dogs, however, can suffer kidney or liver failure if the disease goes
untreated. Tufts Veterinary School reports that about one in five dogs die
from the disease.

There is a vaccination for leptospirosis although it covers only four strains
of the disease. Recently, veterinarians are seeing increasing incidences of
the disease as well as new strains of the disease that vaccines don’t protect a
gainst. It’s estimated that more than 200 strains exist worldwide.

Be aware that humans can contact leptospirosis so it is important to protect
your dog as well as yourself. In addition to talking to your vet about vaccinating
your dog, here are a few tips to prevent disease.

1. Avoid high risk areas such as dog parks.

2. Don’t let your dog drink from ponds, lakes and other public water areas.
Give him tap water and take containers with you for him when you do on hikes.

3. Clean up your own yard, both of your dog’s poop and any leavings from
other animals that might wander into your yard. Remember animals includes
rodents, raccoons, skunks, moles as well as other domestic animals.

4. Wash your dogs after handling your dog and anything that might have
his urine or poop on it.

5. Clean potentially infected surfaces with an antibacterial solution
or a homemade mixture of bleach and water.

6. Most important - if you suspect your dog may be sick or infected,
get him to a vet as quickly as possible. The earlier the treatment, the
better the outcome.

Louise Louis is a certified canine specialist and
creator of the popular website on small dogs,
ToyBreeds.com ToyBreeds.com

Related posts

• Working With Feral (Wild) Cats (0)
• Why Does My Cat Drink Dirty Water? (0)
• White House Pets (0)
• What To Feed An Orphan Kitten- A Way To Help Save A Kitten’s Life (0)
• What Do You Know About Fish Tank Care? (0)

Tags: raccoons, tap water

There are hundreds of choices of dog food on the market today. Everything from wet, dry, high protein, high fat, low protein, and low fat foods fill the aisles of our pet stores. So how is one to choose the right one for their dog?

But before we talk about food, let’s talk about something even more important - water.

All the beneficial ingredients that go into the best dog foods will not help your dog if he is not drinking enough water. Water is the most important nutrient. Adult dog’s bodies are 60% water and a puppy’s body is 84% water. Dogs can lose all of their fat and half of their protein without adversely affecting their health, but a 10 % water loss can cause significant problems. Dog owners should place as much attention on the importance of the quality of the water their dog drinks as they do on the ingredients that go into the best dog foods; not all water is the same.

A criterion for clean drinking water for dogs is similar to the criteria for clean drinking water for people. Tap water generally provides the best nutrients and least contaminants; however, if the tap water contains high amounts of nitrates, magnesium and iron it can cause long term health risks. For those who fear their tap water may be contaminated bottled water is a better choice.

Stainless steel and stoneware dishes are safe choices for food and water bowls. Plastic bowls may scratch giving contaminates an ideal place to live. Water should be cool in the summer and room temperature in the winter. The dogs bowl should always be clean; if you think it may need changing ask yourself if you would drink the water; if the answer is no-change the water.

Dogs should have access to fresh water all the time. This is even more important than buying the best dog foods on the market. Dogs need three times more water than food every day. They need even more if it is extremely hot, the dog is lactating, or the dog is exercising more than normal. Dogs that eat canned dog food do not drink as much water because of the high amount of water contained in the canned food.

In addition to better health, proper hydration also contributes to the performance of a dog. Many owners of working dogs flavor their dog’s food in order to make sure they are drinking the appropriate amounts. Studies have proven that proper hydration increases working ability by 80%. The next time you pour one of those best dog foods into your dogs bowl, remember if the dog doesn’t have the right amount of clean water the food is useless.

Okay, now let’s move on to dog food

First you need to have one basic goal in mind: Feed your dog the brand that keeps your dog looking and acting the best. This is the most important thing to remember when choosing food for your dog. You may have to try several brands of dog food over a stretch of time before you can determine which is the best choice.

Another important factor is likeability. You need to choose a food that your dog likes to eat. You’ll want it to be easily digestible, which is indicated by a small to moderate stool volume. Ideally, you should check a week after switching. After a few weeks of the new food, check the dog’s coat and see if there is any improvement, such as it being shiny and healthy looking. In addition your dog’s skin should be a healthy color, without sores or trouble spots. Your dog should have a healthy look overall.

Lastly, many consider the cost when making your pet’s food choices. One simple rule to remember is SPEND MORE TO SAVE MORE! Why you ask? Well, the principle is simple: the better quality, more expensive foods usually cost you less per feeding than inexpensive foods because you feed your dog less of these highly digestible foods, costing you less in the long run.

Whether you choose dry dog foods which are soybean, corn, or rice based, and are recommended for animals that are larger, or canned types that contain meat products and water for moisture for dogs smaller than 30 lbs., remember, dog foods contain fats and carbohydrates which are necessary for your pet’s energy.

Mike Long runs a dog training website that focuses on educating people about the different ways of training your dog or puppy. If you would like to learn more, including additional articles, and training tips, tricks, and ideas, check out his site at dogtraininginfo.wordpress.com dogtraininginfo.wordpress.com

Related posts

• Pet Health Care Part 1 - Dog Nutrition (0)
• How to Find a Sitter for Your Dog (0)
• Help Prevent Heart Disease In Dogs (0)
• Feed Your Dog With The Appropriate Food (0)
• Dog’s Diet (0)

Tags: dog food, dog training, feed your dog, tap water

Having an aquarium can be a source of great joy and satisfaction. People who have fish as pet find that they feel calmer and happier when they watch the aquarium. Fish make really great pets, and do not make hardly any demands on your time or any other resource. This is why they are considered favorite pets in millions of houses.

Some Facts and Myths about Fish Tank Care

There are many myths surrounding the setting up and maintaining of the fish tank care. Let us look into some of them:

Myth – you need to remove the fish from the aquarium before washing it or changing the water.

Truth – the fish are actually stressed terribly when displaced from their environment, specifically after being chased and caught in nets.

Myth – Changing the gravel is the best way of having it cleaned or washing it under the tap water.

Truth – changing of gravel will actually harm the fish, as with time the gravel will house friendly bacteria that help in clearing the fish waste, which in the long run will actually poison your fish.

Myth – you need to wash the tank as often as you can;

Truth – you should actually wash as rarely as possible, because the longer you leave the system by itself, the better the system works. You should have good filters attached to it and ensure that the water is oxygenated well.

Myth – you should replace all the water from the tank and replace it fully with new water every time you wash the tank;

Truth – you should actually replace only 20-25% of the water, otherwise you will create an imbalance in the system and harm your fish.

Myth – you should abundantly feed your fish if you will be missing for a few days from the house;

Truth – you should never overfeed your fish; this will not only cloud and pollute the water it will tempt the fish to overeat and kill them.

What Plants Do in a Fish Tank?

Live plants are an essential presence in every aquarium for many reasons. First, they add a natural and attractive look to the aquarium, and secondly, they provide the pet fish with a natural source of food. Presence of live plants reduces the growth of algae in the fish tank, but most importantly, live plants produce oxygen through photosynthesis and continuously add it to the water for the fish to breathe. Also, plants absorb wastes of the fish like exhaled carbon dioxide and ammonia; if allowed to accumulate in the tank water it can be hazardous for the fish’s health.

Keeping a Healthy Aquarium with Plants

Certain considerations need to be taken into account when letting live plants inhabit your home aquarium. The following points are important to consider:

Only select those species of plants for your fish tank that can stay healthy while completely submerged. Make sure the plants you select are able to survive well in the existing lighting conditions and chemical nature of the tank water; most plants are suited to live in pH values 6.5-7.5. Also, check about the suitable temperature range for the plants you select. Certain plant types, like sagittaria, are fast growing and tolerant of even hard water; thus, they are ideal for the first inhabitants of the fish tank. More sensitive plants can be added later for keeping diversity and giving the aquarium a natural lush and attractive look. For visual effects, you can use a combination of plants of varying sizes so as to impart an impression of depth and contrast. Red plants, like ludwigia, bring a beautiful contrast against the natural green of other species. Plants with tall stems and those bearing adventitious roots need regular pruning so as to keep the other plants healthy against their overshadowing effects.

Fish tank care is something you learn with practice. The aquarium will become a proper self-sustaining system, which will need to be nurtured to stay so; in this case, fish tank care will not involve cleaning, as much as maintaining the right balance of this system. With time, and if your fish tank care is okay, you will need to wash and/or maintain the tank very rarely because the system itself will take care of itself, just like in the nature.

Copyright 2006 Michael Saville

For more information about fish tank care visit fish-tank.biz fish-tank.biz

Related posts

• Tropical Fish Saltwater Setup - Tank Maintenance and Aquatic Life Care (0)
• Tropical Fish Disease (0)
• The Proper Care of Aquarium Sponge Media (0)
• The Optimum Cichlid Aquarium Set Up (0)
• The Basics of Keeping your own Aquarium (0)

Tags: aquarium, tap water